Kelpline
Braided twine formed from dried kelp. Sticky when wet.
In the waters closest to the The Great Vortex, particularly long, thin kelp grows. Unique to the region, this kelp is unnaturally sticky - perhaps a result of the localised void corruption - and ensnares wildlife for additional nutrients. It must be harvested carefully, but has useful applications, especially at sea. The most notable of these applications is the production of kelpline, thick threads normally braided into ropes.
Properties
Material Characteristics
Once treated, kelpline begins as a coiled braid roughly half an inch thick. It is dark green, appearing almost completely black when wet. An individual braid is usually three yards long but these are usually combined into longer, thicker ropes.
Physical & Chemical Properties
Kelpline is roughly as heavy and durable as mundane rope of the same thickness. It does, however, have an additional property when it gets wet: the unnatural adhesiveness of the kelp partially returns. This makes it particularly useful for the production of the semi-permanent netting constructed to capture salvage in the Vortex Sea.
History & Usage
Refinement
The process to create kelpline starts with the careful harvesting of fully grown kelp. Due to its natural adhesiveness, individuals usually dive for small quantities at a time to avoid the possibility of becoming trapped. The blades are then hung on racks to dry before being split in half up the middle, leaving a small join at the tip. This doubles the length of a single piece. Several of these strands are twisted together, their lengths staggered, with water being added at final step to make the kelp more flexible.
Manufacturing & Products
Several individual threads of this twine are usually twisted together to make a more permanent rope. Most commonly, five threads makes the sort of rope used in underwater netting. Less often, kelpline is woven into large sheets that may be made into sacks or canvas, especially where the adhesion is useful.
Distribution
Trade & Market
Within the Vortex Sea, kelpline is common and cheap. It has not completely replaced mundane rope, however, due to the difficulty of storage once it is wet. Further afield, kelpline is much less common, sometimes selling for three or four times its regular value.
Comments